Hinge for desk-tops



H. M. MILLIGAN.

HINGE FOR DESK 'TO PS. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 1, 1919.

I Patnted June '15; 1920.

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I 4///// an EocKwELL M. MILLIGAN,

GEORGE '1.' MEYE 'AND ONE-FOURTH T0 EEEDEEIoK w. LINE MEYE'E, BOTH OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

HINGE OE. DESK-TOPS.

To all 'whom z't may concern: w 1

Be it known that I, ROCKWELL M. MILIJ; GAN, a citizen of the United States of America, a resident of the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hinges for Desk-Tops,-of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification. I

My invention relates to hinges for connecting pivotal sections of desk tops to stationary desk top sections, such hinges being more particularly intended for use in school desks. Qne of the objects ofthe invention is toprovide hinges for this purpose which permitof the pivotal desk top section'being elevated and supported in an inclined position to serve as an inclined book support with a book resting thereon in the correct line of vision ofa person seated back of such book support. A further object of the'invention isto provide hinges for the purpose mentioned which do not obstruct the desk top surface to interfere with writingthereon even at the junction of the pivotal and stationary desk top sections, or the movement of papers or books onsuch surface. Astill further object of the invention is to provide for the hinging of the pivotal desk top section in such manner ,as to obviate material separation of said pivotal section fromthe stationary desk top section at all times, thereby avoiding the occurrence of crevices between such parts in which human fingersrnay be caught and injured.

A still further'object ofthe invention is to i provide a hinge whereb'y'a movable, desk l the pivota t qe. y be q i ppr edsw 5 pproximately eliminate noise in its operation.

" Figure I'is a rear elevation of a desk top including my improved hinges. f r s Fig. IIis a side elevation of the desk top with one of the hinges shown as it appears when the pivotal desk topse'ction is in lowered position.

Fig'III is a view similar toFig. II, with I l desk topsection in elevated inclined position and one ofthe' hinges shown as it appears m'the altered'position lof'jsaid section; j

Fig. IV is an enlarged side" elevation of v' bn'b'fthe hinges:

, hinge D, except Specification of Letters Patent; t t d' 15, 19 Application :fil ed December 1, 1919. Serial No. 341,700. l

j V is a vertical section through one of theh'ingre'sj Fig. I is a side-view of one of the movable hinge leaves.

tes a station-v 0E s'r. Louis, MIssoUEI. AssIGnon 0F oNE- oUnTirro j and C a pivotal desktop section movable from a position in which its surface is alined with the surface of the stationary section A to an elevated position in which said pivotal section is inclined forwardlyover the sta tionary section to serve as a sloping'book support. Hinges made in'ja'ccordance with my invention connect said desk top sections in a manner to permit a long arcuate movement of the pivotal section relative to the if stationary' s'ection with slight separation of their adjoining edges. I

7 Two hinges D, D, constructed in accordance with my invention, are used to "j oin the pivotal desk top section C to the stationary desk top section A, and these hinges being substantially alike, a description of the hinge D as herein given will be applicable to the fora detail feature appended' to the hinge D,-which will be later set forth. I

The-hinge D includes, primarilyfa main leaf 1 adapted to be rigidly secured to the stationary desk top section A by any SllItf.

able means, so that it extends vertically at one end of'said section and projectsrearwardlybeyond the rear edg eof the said stationary section. Insaid hinge-leaf at its upper edge, the desk top section A, is afpintl'e'hole 2. Beneath said pintle hole is a segmental lower member'B' of the hinge-leaf 1, the bottom and adjacent therear 'fedge 'of v edge4 ofwhich occupies an arc of a circle drawn from the pintle hole,2. At the for? warden'd of said segmental member 3is an t abutment 5, and at the 'rearend of thesame member is an abutment 6 at which the curved bottom edge of the segmentallower member- 3 terminatesl Immediately above said last mentionedabutment-dis a ledge 7,

top section C and receives which overlies the rear tal member 3. a

8 designates a second main leaf of the end of the segmenhinge D secured to the movable desk top section G. This hinge-leaf comprises an arm 9, preferably of anglev shape in cross section, which extends rearwardly beneath the desk the' fastening means for attaching the leaf 8 At the forwardend of the leaf-f8 is a se ment 10 having curved bottom edgesv 11, the

segment terminating at the front of said curved bottom edge 11 inan abutment 12.

, Above the segment 10 of the hinge-leaf 8 is located in the pintle hole 2 a pintle-receiving member 13, c0ntaining a pintle hole 14: that receives a pintle '15, also .in the main hinge-leaf l5 and by-which the two main hinge-leaves -1 and 8 are pivoted to each other.

It will beapparent thatby connecting the described hinge-leaves l and 8 through the pintle. 15, the desk 'topsecmedium of the .tion C is pivotedtothe desk top section A. butitwill be perceived that inasmuch as the hinge-leaves 1 and 8 are merely arranged side to side, andno provision made for limiting the movement of the leaf-,8 relative to the leaf 1, the said hinge-leaves would not rovide for the pivotal vdesk top section C being sustained in forwardly-inclined position above the stationary desktop section for use as a booksupport. To provide for the hinge supporting the pivotal desk top section in the desired inclined-position, I incorporate therein an auxiliary or intermediate hinge-leaf, a description of which I will now-proceed to give. j c

The ii-itermediate hinge-leaf, designated by the character 16, is preferably segmental in shape and is provided at'its apex ortop with a pintle hole 17, through which the pintle, 15 extends to suspend saijd intermediate leaf. between the two main hinge-leaves 1 and 8 with its lower curved edge '18 approXi- 'mately flush with the lower curved edges of the segmental portions of the main hingeleaves. r

At the forward end of the intermediate hinge-leaf 16 is an abutment 18 i-nthe form of a tongue, said abutment extending; outwardly acrossithe lower :edge. of the segmental lower member 3 of the main hinges leaf 1 in a position to engage the abutment 5 at the forwardend of saidsegmentalportion, as seen. in Figs. II and IV. At the rearIend of the intermediateihingedeaf is an 7 1n 1 1 to said section. I

V which projects from end of the main hingeelea f, '1', when the pivotal desk top section is in a lowered position, 7

as seen-in Figs. II and IV.

It will be understood from the foregoing that when the pivotald'esktopsection C is in the lowered, position shown in. Figs. II

and IV, it is supported due to the abutment 18 oritheintermediate hinge section 16 rest ing against the abutment 5 on the main "hinge 'leaf 1 and the stop 20 resting upon the ledgeff, therebylimiting the movement of the intermediate leaf, and finally due to the main hinge-leaf 8. being seated onthefabutiment .19 at the-rear end o'fthe intermediate hinge-leaf. V

1 Between the front and ereagr efnd-sof; the intermediate- 21, which extends fr said intermediate hinge-leaf across thelower edge ofthe main hinge-leafSQ-this abutment being. preferably in the form iof agtongue the, lower edge of the intermediate hinge-leaf, extending beneath the lower edge of the main hinge-leaf 8 and then upwardly alongside of the latter leaf. -When the pivotal desk top section-1 is Figs. II, IV and IXfto the inclined position illustrated in Fig. III, the: intermediate hinge section 16 is brought-into action in the following manner:

hinge-leaf. 1 6 is an abutment om the lower edge of v elevated from its lowered position seenin 1 During the initial-upward movement of the pivotal desk top. section, the hingeleaf 8 first moves independently of the intermediate hinge-leaf 16,' this independent movement continuing until the abutment 12; at the forward end of the leaf8 strikes th'e;;abut-'v ment 21 betweenthe ends-of the interme diate hinge leaf. The main hinge-.l-eafS then .picks up the intermediate hinge-leaf due to the engagement :of the abutments 12' and 21, and saidgparts move together until the abutment 18 at the forward end; of. the

intermediate hinge-leaf is brought-into-engagement with theabutment-Ndatjthe rear end of the. main hinge-leaf j diate hinge-leaf is ybythele vagementof the abutments 18 and ,6 held fromfurther move-i ment, and the main hinge-leaf -8 .isret-ained in fixed relation to the intermediate hingeleaf due to continued contact of the abut.- ment 12 with the abutment- 18.; The several abutments cooperating. with each other. in the manner just explained are so relzated to eachlotherin' their positions on Ethe hingeleaves as to provide for-the ,iabutments' 18 and 6 engag1ng each other was .H'vn hin 3. The. intermee.

movement in consequence of its abutment 12 being in contact with the abutment 21 on the intermediate hinge section.

As previously stated, the hinges D and D are similar in structure and the foregoing description is applicable to the hinge D as well as to the hinge D.

A hinge constructed in accordance with my invention serves to fully support a movable desk top section in such manner as to avoid the striking of the said section against a stationary section or other fixed object adjacent to the hinge, and consequently the possibility of noise in the movement of the movable desk top section is substantially eliminated.

My hinges are particularly intended for use upon school desks in the stationary top members of which it is customary to dispose ink-wells, as seen at X. The ink-well as here indicated is located at the end of the stationary desk top section A adjacent to the hinge D, 'and to protect the bottom of said ink-well I provide the hinge D with a guard 22, which extends inwardly from the main hinge-leaf 1 to the support B, as seen in Figs. I and II.

I claim:

1. A hinge comprising pivotally connected main leaves and a pivotal auxiliary leaf for engagement with said main leaves to limit the pivotal movement of one of the main leaves relative to the other main leaf.

2. A hinge comprising pivotally connected main leaves and an auxiliary leaf pivoted on a common center, said auxiliary leaf being adapted to limit the pivotal movement of one of said main leaves relative to the other main leaf.

3. A hinge comprising pivotally connect- 4. A hinge comprising a stationary main leaf, a movable main leaf pivoted to said stationary leaf, and a pivotal auxiliary leaf, said movable main leaf being provided with an abutment for engagement with said auxiliary leaf to impart movement thereto, and said stationary main leaf being provided with an abutment adapted to be engaged by said auxiliary leaf to restrict the pivotal action of the auxiliary leaf and the movable main leaf.

5. A hinge comprising a stationary main leaf, a movable IIlZLlIl leaf pivoted to said stationary main leaf, a pivotal auxiliary leaf having an abutment intermediate of its ends adapted to be engaged by said movable main leaf and also having an abutment adjacent one of its ends for engagement with said stationary main leaf to limit the pivotal action of the hinge.

6. A hinge comprising a stationary main leaf, a movable main leaf pivoted to said stationary main leaf, a pivotal auxiliary leaf adapted and support said movable main leaf in one position, said auxiliary leaf being adapted to be moved by said movable main leaf into engagement with said stationary main leaf to support the movable main leaf in a second position. p

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I hereunto afiix my signature.

'ROCKWELL M. MILLIGAN.

A to engage said stationary main leaf 

